Award Data

Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines (RDRE)are being developed to take advantage of the near instantaneous heat release potential of detonation waves versus conventional deflagration-based chemical reactions in combustion applications. However, the detonation product environment is extreme and current instrumentation to measure wall / surface conditions within the detonation chamber are lacking. The ...

The objective of this research program is to develop an ultra-lightweight carbon nanotube-lithium metal (CNT-Li) hybrid anode to enable high energy density lithium ion cells. These CNT-Li anodes will be paired with carbon nanotube enhanced high areal loading (mAh/cm2) cathodes to achieve cell-level energy densities that exceed 400 Wh/kg at the cell-level and have the potential to exceed 500 Wh/kg. ...

In this STTR Phase I proposal, Kent Optronics (KOI) together with its partner, Rice University, propose to develop novel deep learning algorithms to perform machine vision tasks such as target recognition and tracking utilizing the direct measurements from a compressive hyperspectral imaging system. By skipping the hypercube reconstruction, this combination of hardware and software will allow real ...

Palm-sized unmanned aerial systems (nano UAS) weighing tens of grams have evolved to the point where they are becoming useful to the warfighter. However, their small mass, fragility, and limited batteries still necessitate the use of emerging, low mass/power technologies to meet the full range of potential missions, including new autonomous flight control and collision avoidance strategies, struct ...

Metamaterials and photonic crystals are engineered composites that exhibit novel and interesting properties not found using ordinary materials. They have been shown to allow extraordinary control over the electromagnetic field, including molding the flow of energy, amplitude profile of the field, phase of the waves, intermodal coupling, and more. To achieve such control, a set of tools and procedu ...

The research objective is to develop a tunable spatially-varying photonic crystal (SVPC) to achieve the optical propagation properties (reflection and transmission) of the light through the designed structure for the visible and near IR-bands. The light from this SVPC will be able to focus and bend as a function of the spatial variation of the refractive index, input angle, and state of polarizati ...

RADAR (and similar direct or observational meteorological measuring equipment) has limitations (inability to measure low vis conditions, line-of-site, limited vertical (z-axis), expensive/heavy equipment is required, etc.). To solve these limitations, a Purdue University team (launched via a SBC called FlightProfiler) has developed a technology that delivers a computer generated X-Y-Z environmenta ...

A growing number of electronic applications within the Air Force, such as devices for power conditioning and distribution, RF power amplification, and high power lasers have been identified for increased heat transfer requirements to maintain operational temperatures at acceptable levels while increasing the performance through higher power. However, this same target research that requires increas ...

The PI has worked on a design concept for a wind turbine blade with adaptive twist transformation. The design improves wind capture and reduces loading on the system drivetrain turbine by adapting the twist distribution in relation to wind speed. Structural adaptability is enabled by actuating a series of compliant segments that are mounted on a relatively rigid spar. The segments are assumed to h ...

This proposed Phase I STTR effort will be a collaboration between OmniScience LLC and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Vision and Security Technology (VAST) Lab. The primary objective of this Phase I effort is to demonstrate feasibility of a brain computer interface (BCI) controller for augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) and conventional screen displays, referred to herein as an A ...